Ask Frank DaignaultFrank Daignault is recognized as an authority on surf fishing for striped bass. He is the author of six books and hundreds of magazine articles. Frank is a member of the Outdoor Writers of America and lectures throughout the Northeast.

I can think of a couple of situations where I am afraid: striper fishing in the downtown Providence River is good and better at night. Want to creep around the docks in a big city at night?

I was raised with a kennel of hunting dogs. People take my wife and I bird hunting with dogs. We love dogs but we are also afraid of loose dogs because all dogs are not the same and we don't know which dogs are aggressive. In a way you can understand why some people are ascared of the dark.

There are many situations where it is wise to carry a weapon. A gun can get too complicated what with a permit and investigation protocols defined by law. But a pocket knife, mace or pepper spray can protect you. In my area people walk with golf clubs, big sticks or baseball bats, even in daylight.

I got caught out at the False Hook one night, as a very thick fog sneaked in behind me. The night had been moonless to begin with. I had my truck back at North Beach, about a mile away. Tried walking the surf edge for a while but the fog never gave me a hint when to turn east. So I just turned east anyway and pushed on until I ran into dune grass, eventually finding my way back. So concentrated was my eyesight at exactly where my footfall was going that a rabbit sitting right on the path bolted just as I was about to catch sight of him. Close to pooped in waders moment.
Luckily for me I'm not afraid of the dark at all, unless there are monsters around !

Ever noticed how some guys act fishing at night? I can spot fear of darkness a mile away. Its a generalization but I think city guys are more ascared than sheetkickers like me. Got any night fear stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis Daignault

I find that city guys are commonly afraid of the dark.

Mr. D with that little white butt of yours ( after the sun went down ) you would not have lasted 8 minutes in the South Bronx or Harlem where I grew up & went to school.

One of the reasons "City Guys" are possibly more afraid of the dark, is that we are city guys and have lights all around us, all night. I remember as a scout going out on my first real camping trip. I wake up at some point and have to pee and need to wait a few minutes for my night vision to adjust. Suddenly I can see like it's almost dawn. Problem is that the boogeyman can see too.

BTW Hook 1, if you grew up in the South Bronx and Harlem there are probably some times or places we crisscrossed. I grew up in Inwood / Washington Heights and played both basketball and baseball for the local CYO, much of it in Manhattan and the Bronx.

One of the reasons "City Guys" are possibly more afraid of the dark, is that we are city guys and have lights all around us, all night. I remember as a scout going out on my first real camping trip. I wake up at some point and have to pee and need to wait a few minutes for my night vision to adjust. Suddenly I can see like it's almost dawn. Problem is that the boogeyman can see too.

BTW Hook 1, if you grew up in the South Bronx and Harlem there are probably some times or places we crisscrossed. I grew up in Inwood / Washington Heights and played both basketball and baseball for the local CYO, much of it in Manhattan and the Bronx.

Joe maybe we did , during the winter months the basketball court was a fun place to go & hang out . Even though we were from the same city , the next parish seemed like we were playing foreigners .

some of the Sheetkickers would not know growing up in the city , when the streetlights came on it was time to go home , not afraid of the dark but afraid of the mother being later for supper .

I grew up in a nice suburb neighborhood. I was part of a gang -- about five of us -- that used to do everything: we loved setting up a dummy so that traffic would stop to see why the man was down. One time a woman got pissed and took our dummy so we followed her on our bikes, saw her drive into her garage and stole it back when she went into the house. Her name was Alice and she always referred to us as the little pr*ks of the North End.

[quote=Francis Daignault;2432268]I grew up in a nice suburb neighborhood. I was part of a gang -- about five of us -- that used to do everything: we loved setting up a dummy so that traffic would stop to see why the man was down. One time a woman got pissed and took our dummy so we followed her on our bikes, saw her drive into her garage and stole it back when she went into the house. Hed
I'm amazed that you guys grew up to be responsible citizens with all that crime in your past. In Inwood a gang was 30 + and did not include the goils, but that's the city. Three of my closest friends lived downstairs from me in the walkup and another 5 in the immediately adjacent buildings. Pulling a baseball game together was knocking on about 20 doors in 15 minutes. Different world.